NHS People Innovator (KTP Associate) at Manchester Metropolitan University

The role:
An exciting 3-year opportunity has become available to work with Manchester Metropolitan University and the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) to design, project manage and evaluate a pilot project that aims to improve how ward nurses and midwives are managed during pregnancy, maternity and return to work. The aim of the project is to retain nurses and midwives during and beyond the maternity period, foster their wellbeing and raise capability to manage workplace pregnancy and maternity in the NCA. The project will also produce new knowledge about better practice in managing workplace maternity that will be shared across the NHS and with other sectors.

The post holder will be a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate and a key part of the job offer is an intensive personal development programme. This will enable the post holder to rise to the challenge of project managing the pilot project and to build skills and experience in leading people management innovation. The role may be of interest to people with experience in human resources, equality diversity and inclusion, healthcare management, coaching, nursing or midwifery.

Qualification Requirements:

• Honours degree in Human resources (HR), health, humanities, or a related subject.
• A Masters degree or equivalent (ideally with experience of independent research) and/or a project management qualification would be advantageous, though not essential.

Application requirements:

• A demonstrable commitment to equality and diversity and interest in using research and best practice evidence to innovate people management approaches.
• Operational knowledge/experience of the NHS, psychology, nursing, ward management and/or midwifery, or an ability to build relationships and learn quickly about the context.
• Knowledge of the maternity cycle and surrounding workplace regulations and practices.
• Understanding of the experiences of both women and line managers during the workplace maternity journey.
• Project management experience and enthusiasm to rise to the challenge of managing a complex project and developing as a project leader.
• Strong communication skills across multi-media (or a willingness to learn) and experience of fostering collaboration and influencing others.
• Empathy/emotional intelligence and, ideally, experience of mentoring or coaching.
• Foundational research or evaluation skills and a willingness to learn.
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

A condition of the KTP funding is that the KTP Associate needs to become a university employee who is effectively seconded to the NCA. We welcome candidates from the NCA and, if you have a substantive contract with the NCA, we will work with you as to how you can maintain your professional registration (if relevant) and future employment opportunities. The postholder is invited to join the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Benefits:

• £2,000 per year to spend on personal training;
• Attendance at two residential managerial workshops (each of one week’s duration);
• Potential opportunity to register on a higher degree (at a reduced cost);
• Potential opportunity of a permanent position with the company – 70% of host companies make a permanent job offer to their Associate at the end of the project.

Interviews will take place 1st December 2023.

For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Krystal Wilkinson k.wilkinson@mmu.ac.uk or Prof Julia Rouse j.rouse@mmu.ac.uk.

Apply at https://manmetjobs.mmu.ac.uk/jobs by submitting a CV and a covering letter detailing how you meet the criteria for the role. Only applications with a covering letter will be considered.